Healthcare practice has shown the value of taking images as x-rays of a patient from a number of different positions. The use of medical imaging acquisition systems has improved the diagnosis and care of patients. Currently available x-ray imaging systems can be used in operating rooms, intensive care departments or emergency rooms. One type of device uses a mobile C-arm which is rotated to provide the necessary scanning views. Mobile C-arm x-ray diagnostic equipment has been developed to enable a physician to treat or otherwise attend to the patient without the need to repeatedly remove and replace the x-ray equipment. More particularly, mobile C-arm x-ray equipment has been developed for surgical and other interventional procedures. Mobile C-arm x-ray image acquisition devices can be used for well-defined surgical planning and guiding surgical interventions. During surgeries the space immediately surrounding the patient should not be unduly encumbered in order to enable a safe access of the physician to the patient.
In the following the term C-arm refers to an elongated arc-shaped member terminating in opposing distal ends. An x-ray source and detector are mounted at or near the distal ends of the C-arm. The so called C-arm is mounted on a support arm such that a rotational movement of the arm together with the C-arm is enabled. The C-arm is adjustable in at least two degrees of freedom. In other words, the C-arm is movable in an angular direction and in an orbital direction. For the orbital movement the C-arm can be displaced by a suitable sliding mechanism integrated in the support structure. Based on the angular and orbital movement capabilities images can be sequentially and/or continuously obtained in different planes. The x-ray source and the image receptor can be selectively orientated on a vertical axis, on a horizontal axis or somewhere in between. The circular rotation of the C-arm and thus of imaging acquisition device allows the physician to take x-ray images of a patient at a desired angle with respect to the particular anatomical condition, which needs to be imaged.
Users of C-arm x-ray imaging systems are faced with a number of challenges. Since the C-arm needs to rotate around the patient there is the risk that objects as a supply cable connected to the patient collide or gets entangled with the x-ray source or the x-ray detector. However, in the case that the supply cable is configured for continuous perfusion delivery to the patient, the perfusion needs to be linked to the patient and never removed during surgery. It is required to ensure a proper connection of the cable to the patient during the entire surgery. Hence, there is the problem that health professionals need to direct their attention to the maintenance of continuous supply of the patient with perfusion or the like and cannot exclusively follow the surgery or any other interventional procedures. Therefore, the risk of any collision with an object connected to the object of interest, more particularly, the risk of pulling off a supply cable configured for infusion needs to be minimized
There is further a risk of pain or discomfort of the patient, if an anaesthetic supply cable falls off due to movements of the C-arm. Moreover, tissue of the patient may be damaged due to uncontrolled tearing off a cable from an intravascular access. Due to collision with a C-arm member a mobile perfusion stand may tip over and fall on a medical health professional or the operation table, thus endangering an ongoing surgical intervention. Therefore, there is the need to prevent collisions with any objects as stands or supply cables connected to a patient.
Moreover, there is a need to optimise workflows of the health personnel, while ensuring the security of the patient. In summary, there is the need of the present disclosure to avoid any interference between a component of a moving C-arm and any object needed for safely supplying a patient with fluid or gas or a mixture thereof as required by the given conditions.